Civic body on green mode

The standing committee of Ranchi Municipal Corporation (RMC) took a number of decisions on Monday with the aim of giving the state capital a greener look.

It was decided that a park would be set up on a one-acre plot behind the chief minister’s residence, next to the existing Sidho Kanhu Park. Another park would be developed on a 50 decimal plot in the front of the state guesthouse at Morabadi where a statue of tribal ideologue Ram Dayal Munda has been installed. Four smaller parks were planned for Harmu Housing Colony.

“The city is in need of green and open space where residents can unwind. Hence the decision to create more parks,” said mayor Rama Khalkho, who chaired the standing committee meeting.

The parks that the capital boasts of now have all been in existence from pre-statehood days.

The prominent ones are Sido-Kanhu Park, Children’s Park, Dada Dadi Park, Zakir Hussain Park and Sri Krishna Singh Park. The last was revamped by the state forest department a few months ago, but no new parks have been created in the last 13 years.

The standing committee also approved a proposal to set up a huge gate at Birsa Samadhi Sthal, the burial ground of legendary tribal leader Birsa Munda.

The spot has already been given a facelift by Ranchi Regional Development Authority (RRDA) and the state art and culture department commissioned murals depicting the life and struggles of the tribal leader on the boundary wall.

The civic body has allocated Rs 1 crore for setting up the parks and the gate at Birsa Samadhi Sthal.

Among the other decisions taken, the standing committee instructed that henceforth the district administration or RRDA would be required to seek authorisation from RMC to carry out any development work like road and culvert repairs or construction of new roads and culverts and the like.

“The standing committee decided that the civic body would soon issue letters to the district administration as well as RRDA, asking them to first seek a no-objection certificate from RMC if they want to carry out any work on the civic body’s property. This arrangement would be just for the record of the civic body,” said A.S. Deol, a standing committee member.

Meanwhile, the dearness allowance of civic employees was increased by seven per cent, with effect from April 2012. At present, the dearness allowance is 65 per cent, and will become 72 per cent.